BPM & PRO 2014 @ The NEC Review

Rarely is there an event in the calendar that unites DJ’s, producers, and enthusiasts of all forms of electronic music under the same roof but, when it concerns the latest technology, they all come flocking. It was the eighth BPM show since its inception back in 2007, and the first to include PRO – the professional audio and visual show.

When I arrived at the NEC in Birmingham, I was greeted by a cacophony of sound from all angles as attendees lined up next to one another trialling the latest decks from the likes of Pioneer, Numark and Denon. Moving further through the hall, there were companies from all areas of the music industry representing in various stands – including DJ Mag; custom earplug manufacturer, ACS; and Sennheiser. As an aspiring DJ and producer, you are instantly propelled into new and exciting territory with seemingly no limitations.

If the only limitation you can think of is the knowledge of how to use the equipment, then the show had that base covered too. There was a Demo Stage and a Learning Zone for those wishing to utilise the more sophisticated functions. Additionally, two inflatable huts – known as the Orange and Green Learning Spaces – provided a platform for industry specialists to impart their knowledge to an enthusiastic audience.

A great deal of my time was spent at the panel shows. The show appears to attract well-renowned figures from various dance music sub-genres, and also those responsible for PR, marketing, distributing, and management to give an insight on the best ways to establish yourself in the music scene. Topics included: the ‘Future of the Record Label’, ‘Publishing Your Tracks in a Digital Age’, and ‘The Future of Underground Dance Music’ – followed by an audience Q&A.

All these things helped create a wholly interactive environment, aimed at anyone who has an interest in the music industry. With tickets costing £15 in advance and £20 on the door, for the entire three day event, there is little reason to not attend.

The next show will be held on 12-14 September 2015 at the NEC. For more information, visit their website.

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2 Comments

I visited the Sunday and agree it was a great show, everybody was helpful and it was super to actually test out all of the latest gear available. I purchased the Maschine Mk2 on the day and got a whopping £79 off the RRP which was great, some great deals were their on the day.

Would have been the perfect setting to see Komplete 10 software launched by Native Instruments for us producers too, however not long to wait now and to be fair some of the new controllers were there as a preview 🙂

It was an eye-opener for me Ian. I’m used to really basic equipment – I have a Numark Mixdeck for DJ’ing and a Korg Microkey to experiment with production. The functions that the more sophisticated pieces of equipment are capable of was astounding.

I was particularly impressed by Korg’s stand, but I’ll need to brush up a little more on my technical know-how before investing.